


Heatwave Observation

by ASignificantWhisper



Series: Observation [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hot Weather, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-28 03:30:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13895313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASignificantWhisper/pseuds/ASignificantWhisper
Summary: You tend to stare off into space a little too much when you're daydreaming. Add Rick Grimes, you working in the hot sun all morning, topping it off with a little fainting, it leads to an unexpected night between you and the object of your desires.





	Heatwave Observation

**Author's Note:**

> Anon received prompt from my main Tumblr (http://wroteclassicaly.tumblr.com/post/169374582121/rick-x-you-prompt-75-3) link to the prompt is on the post! 
> 
> This isn't too long, just a drabble that will have an actual longer part 2 with smut. I'll add the tags in with that last chapter. This is my first time publishing in the TWD fandom and writing for Rick, so I hope it doesn't suck. :( I have other stories for that fandom and I'm taking requests over at my Tumblr (follow the link above) and my new sideblog Tumblr for writing (http://www.letsgetcaughtintherain.tumblr.com/)
> 
> There's some lame humor in this and so forth, lol. Anyways, lemme have some feedback and if you wanna see part two? Trust me when I say it's gonna get pretty steamy. ;) Also, I intend on making this a series for different characters in different scenarios. 
> 
> Note : This takes place a little after the beginning of the 7th season, before Carl went to the saviors compound. There's also a few added in things I re-wrote in here before publishing that aren't in the Tumblr post, but they fit when I was editing so I put them on in. 
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

Might seem pretty damn crazy to some, what with you standing in front of the house you claimed as your own, hand propped on your gardening rake, laughing your butt off. Really though, you were mulling over Virginia’s heat wave. With the weatherman forever unavailable you took it upon yourself to imagine each forecast. It helped distract you and everyone here in Alexandria appreciated it. Your organization skills came in handy in this new world more than the first. Not qualified for fast office skills then, but now? Now you could beat out the Indy 500 pits in a challenge. So you usually took what you felt, what you observed to gather information you needed.

  
You studied enough to put any self-respecting weather man or woman to shame. It was your forte to pick up books on runs now to put together a library for yourself and anyone to use, really. You used rooftops, built makeshift stands to take in air flow, direction, wind-speed. You traveled in your car. You were almost able to predict a thunderstorm the day before it happened with your busted thermometer and musty books. You were impressed with you. Guess it was just not as much motivation or pushy mindset from the world before this to get people into places they never imagined they could be, or do things they could never do before.

  
Yeah, all that said, you are definitely in the midst of a heatwave. It could almost rival the ones you had in Georgia. You miss it there, badly. It halts your laughter, causing you to sigh right as man-boy Grimes walks by, grinning at your normal antics. You were known to stare off into space a lot, work related or not. You notice his tall presence immediately, the brand spanking new confidence he carries himself with and **_that fucking hat_**.

  
“That thing must smell like a foot, Grimes. Make sure you stock up on shampoo AND the conditioner this time. You remember what happened at the Wal-Mart?” You scold him, free hand on your waist now, fingers swaying out at the hot breeze.

  
Carl snorts, tilting his head. “Says the crazy cat lady, minus the cats. What’re you thinking about now, Y/N?”

  
“How much we need to raid a pool shop and dig an in ground in this place.” You answer without pause, delighted on one of your many fantasies. The kid nods in agreement, but you can see he doesn’t buy it. He isn’t one to push you though. You and him have always had this special comradery. You weren’t fragile or too weird for him, he wasn’t a little kid to you. Sometimes you even agreed with his way more than you did his father’s. And fuck all if that wasn’t saying something. 

“Agreed. Could have double the use, but whatever. You think the savior’s have hot tubs on their roofs? Maybe they have one.”

  
You click your tongue, rolling a silky sweat sheathed shoulder. “Probably, the fuckers. Hey-” You break off, knowing you both had things to do before tonight, water to salvage, “don’t forget to change your bandage two extra times. this heat can fuck it up, okay?”

  
You were concerned about him, aside from your understanding. He was basically the closest thing you’ve ever had to a best friend, from one world to the next. He doesn’t smart off, just tips his hat at you, ending your friendly banter. “Don’t forget to wash your pits or under your knees. I swear I smelt B.O. around here earlier.”

  
“You’re a shit, Grimes!” You call out as he retreats, his grin making you smile. He flips you the bird, to which you double, turning back to wipe the sweat off your brow.

  
Tossing down your rake you seek out your small gardening bucket. You don’t run water through your hose a lot. You’d rather save it for taking a cool bath before bed in the evening. With a glass of your homemade grape wine, a couple of thrifty candles and your open windows, you can be one happy gal. Shit, you couldn’t even remember enjoyment or fulfillment from before all this like you have now. It’s amazing in some ways.

  
You finish getting all your growing fruit plants refreshed, pushing off the soil, knees caked in dirt. That’s when you see him down the street, strutting. _Does he ever really walk? Does he even know what he does?_ His holster is secured, his boots treading lightly on the pavement. He’s happy today, despite sweat coating his tan shirt, sleeves bunched around his forearms. You can see the sunlight highlight specks of silver through his bearded face, through his hair. It leaves a trailing pathway down his nose.

 _Okay I'm pathetic. Rick-ray vision?_ You’re way too observant of this man all the time. How he talks, what he says, the way he leads. How can anyone manage to look like the embodiment of perfection when they’re sweating always and covered in a two day layer of it most of the time?

  
If you had a pool here you two could take a dip at night. Maybe talk? It’d be quiet, so cool against your skin. You wouldn’t feel anything but goosebumps peppering your flesh. Rick would swim closer, rough fingers breaking the clear blue surface, curly hair matted to his forehead, lips red, wet, inviting you. His eyes, blue and frozen on you. You can feel his hands touching you, pushing your swimsuit strap down your shoulder, nosing your skin. He’d dip you down into the water, his hands so strong, calloused, covering the backs of your thighs, lifting you against him. You’re floating, you’re……

**-~-**

  
“Y/N? Y/N? Hey, come on now. I’ve got'cha. Just relax. Breathe in.”

  
A voice is accented, a thick accent that you know so well is soothing you. You’re not where you were, are you? You can’t even see. It’s a little less hot, yet it’s like something is warm, much stronger radiating against your flesh. There’s a smell, strong, spicy even. It’s peaches, aftershave? You feel a little wobbly, something thick underneath your back. It’s as if your eyes have been shielded with glasses. More confused than ever, slightly panicked, you part your lips. It’s a dry chapped hiss that breaks free. “Jesus.” You groan out, frustrated, trying to stay focused. You were fine before this. You’ve got to be now, _right?_ Life has all kinds of shit happening, not just post-apocalyptic shit.

A cold, solid object presses ever-so-gently to your lips. You greedily accept it right off, gulping the fresh ice water down, ignoring protests of that person telling you to take it easy. Their hand touches your back and that’s when your instinct picks an odd time to kick in. Crazy scenarios lashing out at you.

 

You let out a shriek and sling your hand, the weighted object you now know is a cup flying away from you, dousing the stranger from the noises he makes.

“I was chewed on by a walker, wasn’t I? I can’t see! Did it eat out my eyes?” Your hilariously sad panic attack is eating at you like a violent sunburn, to put it mildly.

Before said man can even disagree your mind goes blank, then alarms you with other imagines of snakes in your garden, one biting you, it’s venom spreading and blinding you. _Is this it?_

“Was there a snake? My eyes, my fucking eyes!” Why can't you see? You _have_ to be able to see in this world.

 

 

A throaty chuckle pisses you off, that is until you hear who it comes from, your body suddenly heavy now, your senses back. There’s a gentle wetness on your face, splashing across your eyes before a fabric runs across them to follow suite. It helps you open your eyes, blue skies above you and..... blue eyes. _/His/_ blue eyes. You’re own your front lawn where you were before, your tools discarded by you, your body being held by Rick Grimes, his hand covering your eyes from the sun, fingers making a canopy-like shield.

 

 

“You’re okay, Y/N. I didn’t wanna move you until I could see if you were hurt. Everything looks fine. Did you hit your head?” Rick is worried, his voice like this buttery cotton you want to roll in, preferably naked. You stare at him now that you can, a bead of sweat popping off his forehead, rolling down his nose and straight onto his perfect lips.

 

 

You’re distracted by him, but answer anyways. “Don’t think so? I was going to go back inside, make a sandwich. I talked to Carl and then finished taking care of the fruit plants I’ll need to use for Saturday’s dinner.”

 

 

Those hands you’re so crazy about, one moves to press in spots around your head. Nothing hurts, to which you both sigh in relief. You fainted. Fucking fainted looking at Rick Grimes, forgetting you were standing in direct sunlight off one-hundred and one degree weather, not having had much water. You can feel your already sore face heat up. Rick helps you to your feet, much to your delight, turned regret the second you sway into his chest. The first few buttons are undone, perspiration slipping down his creamy skin, through that chest hair. You part your lips as if you can taste it like you want to. You don’t notice Rick’s thumb come up until it’s brushing your jawline. When he speaks next it’s low, for you and you alone.

 

 

_**“You fainted, straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”** _

****

 

Your brow raises, jaw drops, taking his thumb with it, shifting his fingertip to tickle your bottom lip.

 

 

“Hit the ground before I got to you. Scared the shit out of me, Y/N. You were conscious when I finally got to you. But then you collapsed in my arms. You push yourself too hard. If you need help, let me help you do some of this,” His tone is dripping in this softness, that stern soft stuff he uses on those closest to him. “we help each other.”

 

 

“I’m sorry, Rick. I know, I’ll be more careful next time. It was just really fucking hot and I guess I got distracted….” You trail off, rubbing at your soaked neck, scared to make eye contact in this close proximity. You’ll beg to be taken to the nearest lake and be fucked over a rock or some shit. Forget having perfectly doable houses, you wanna be done like an animal in the woods with monsters roaming free. _Fuck, that’s fucked up._

 

 

Rick’s free hand is pulling something from his dark jean pocket in the back. A surprised gasp leaves your lips. It’s a shiny new thermometer. He’s smirking at you, stepping back to give you a little space. This one is not cracked, perfect shape. It reads 102, a temperature hotter. _Of course it's hotter around him._ You accept it shakily.

Rick moves away from you much to your displeasure and picks up your tools, starting for your porch steps, pausing halfway. “I’m gonna put this away, then I’ll run you a cold bath. I also forgot. Michonne found bubbles on the last run when I found that. She said to give them to you. Is it alright if I throw em' on in?”

 

 

You nod rather dumbly.

 

 

“Then we can finish getting these plants taken care of once the sun goes down. Carl is gonna be with Judith and Tara tonight. Some kind of comic book discussion. If it’s okay with you, Y/N, I’d like to stick around a while, make sure you’re alright. Get a little dinner in us both.”

 

 

You literally tingle from head to fucking toe. The rest of today _with_ Rick? Tonight _with_ Rick?

 

 

“I’m good with that.” Is all you manage. You must look real cool.

 

 

This heat. Watching Rick’s ass sway in those jeans, going into your house. Starting your damn bath. You stare back down at his gift, following him into your home, mumbling. “Fucking heatwave.”


End file.
